1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a text display and editing system using a computer, and in particular to a system characterized by a text display and editing function.
2. Background Art
Included in the text display and editing functions (hereinafter a function related to text display and editing is referred to simply as a “text editing function”) provided by current application software, such as LOTUS NOTES (TM), provided by IBM Corp., are a function for managing text in a predetermined area (hereinafter referred to as a “section”) either by the closing of the section on the display (hiding text on the display) or by the expansion of the section (making the text in the section visible), and a function for setting properties for each section. Sections can be hierarchically nested (assembled to form a nested structure).
FIG. 9 is a specific diagram showing a text editing screen provided by LOTUS NOTES.
As is shown in FIG. 9, to perform a function to close or open the section, a mouse pointer is positioned on start line (hereinafter referred to as a “title line”) 901 of the text in a section. In this case, title line 901 actually works as a command button, and in accordance with the event that occurs when the command button is clicked, the section is either closed or opened. Further, to make it simple for a user to identify the display state of a section, mark 902, located at the beginning (the left end) of title line 901, is employed to indicate whether the section has been closed or opened.
By using a property setting function, the type and the color of a border line displayed between sections can be selected, and whether the entire sections should be closed or opened can be designated as the initial display state of the section. For these setups, a desired setup state can be selected from a menu presented on a text display screen, or a separately provided, predetermined setup screen can be employed.
In this example, the text editing function employed for LOTUS NOTES has been described. However, even though there are noticeable differences in the mounting designs, a similar text editing function is provided by various other text editors and document creation application software, such as word processors. For this function, instead of using a section title line as a command button, a button object displayed near the title line is used to instruct the omission or expansion of text.
However, the text editing functions provided for conventional document creation application software present certain operating inconveniences. For example, a section can not be partially displayed; and when a document includes multiple sections or multiple nested sections, the relationships existing among the individual sections tend to be difficult to identify.
It is one object of the present invention to improve the text editing operation provided by document creation application software.
It is another object of the present invention to provide document creation application software for which a tool is supplied that improves the text editing operation.